Just Jack

Who? Camden, England rapper Just Jack isn’t a new project for Will & Grace character Jack McFarland, but he still might make you gleefully raise your hands and dance about. Chas Smash of Madness signed Just Jack, real name Jack Allsopp, to the RG imprint, and the genre-hopper released his debut album, The Outer Marker, in 2002. His sophomore release, Overtones, will finally see stateside shores Sept. 4 via TVT.

What’s the Deal? Just Jack has garnered comparisons to Mike Skinner of The Streets and Jamiroquai, and it’s easy to see why. Overtones uses supple monotone rhymes draped over disco bass lines that will have you seeing glitter in “Writer’s Block,” a laid-back summer jam that recalls the best of ’90s R&B in “Glory Days,” and even some jittery electro in “I Talk Too Much.” He adds to much of these blends a kind of social commentary. Jack documents the rise and fall of the popular-elect in “Starz in Their Eyes,” rapping about “A whole lot happier, a whole lot sadder, used to be satisfied, now you feel like Mick Jagger.” Singing about the stars made a star out of him — the single first peaked at No. 2 in the U.K. in late January, and stayed in the Top 40 until mid-April.

Fun Fact: Before becoming a mainstream hit in his native U.K., Just Jack was just a regular bloke attending university. He received a degree in furniture design, but decided to focus on a music career instead.

Get a Free Digital Sampler from SPIN.com and Insound! When you spend $25 at Insound.com, you can download a free sampler featuring tracks from Bright Eyes, Dungen, Dinosaur Jr., and many more! FIND OUT HOW >>